I had a stent fitted a month ago after collapsing during a stress test in hospital. After the stent was fitted I was sent home with a leaflet and my medication. The nurses were superb, however, I wasn't really 'with it' when discharged so didn't ask many questions.
For the first week I felt much better and returned to work and started helping pack for a house move (no lifting involved just a couple of hours of packing at a time). I talked to my GP before doing this and his view was that I was now 'bionic' and 'better than normal' and could do this. After a week I felt unwell, fatigued, experienced localised aches which appeared in my legs, chest (right and now left side) wrist, upper arm, and experienced slight numbness in my face. These persist from 20 mins or so to an hour or more and seem to be brought on be any exertion or stress, but can occur at anytime. I have good days which are symptom free and then poor days (normally after a good day when I have undertaken some activity (cooked or washed up for the family)). When feeling unwell I often need to sleep for a while which helps.
I have had one phone consultation last week with a cardiac nurse who explained how to use the GTN spray and told me that my body will take time to adjust and this is normal. The food advice and cardiac rehabilitation exercises arrived today via email.
I am feeling really emotional, scared that I have done too much to early and damaged myself, not sure that these are normal reactions, cannot sleep and have a sense of impending doom. I am also feeling pretty useless as I am not able to help with unpacking or normal household tasks. While I have talked to my cardiac nurse and GP I haven't been seen by anyone since I had the stent fitted.
I am on Atovastatin (Liptor) 80mg, Ticagrelor (Brilique) 90mg, Landoprazole 30mg and aspirin.
Has anyone experienced anything similar or has any advice?
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Marshd
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Hi Marsh, I was just about to post a similar thread. I've had 5 stents and I'm due an mri scan to check the blood supply to my heart. I'm OK for some of the time, but like you, I get long periods when I'm exhausted, muddled and my lower arms ache.
It's over a year since the HA and 6 months since the last 2 stents.
I'm guessing this is what we have to live with now. I regularly use my Gtn spray, often twice a day but to be fair, I'm trying to live a normal life. I work supporting some of the most difficult and desperate homeless people in trying to get some resemblance of a normal life. Very rewarding work but very draining too. But after the HA, I sort of figured I'm on borrowed time and want to help as many people as possible before I pass on.
My advice is get yourself checked out by your specialist. I think you'll need to accept that the new you can't do what the old you could. Also bear in mind that stents take time to bed in. The specialists will tell you differently but I've seen enough on here about stents and from personal experience I know they do.
Enjoy your life to the full and look at what you have now as extra time 👍😊.
Took a good few months for stent to settle down and no
One told me so it was a bit scary . In those early months felt overwhelming anxiety but happy to report it passes and you do get better xx
I’m like you wanting to help others I work 2 mornings a week as nurse Gp surgery just enough and love giving help and support back to my pt’s x
Really hope you go on ok we here if you need us x
Hi marshd, I had 2 stents in Aug and had pretty much similar experience. I was fine first week but as day's progress I was in pain and aches and regular twinges in chest.However, it is not stents but the effects of medicines Atovastatin is making u feel tired, achy, lethargic and the trigly is making your stomach bloated which is in turn causing chest tightness and pain.
Above all all these are cause of natural anxiety and pain thoughts which u mentioned.
You are OK and start feeling OK. Eat small meals, take green tea and peppermint tea for gases. I stopped using Atovastatin and controlling my cholesterol with diet. I feel much better now. I am sure in a matter if few days you will also be a new you and healthy and happy person soon. May God be with you
Hi some of the discomfort your describing is perfectly normal I myself had a stent put in recently and I’m still feeling discomfort I was feeling ok for the first few days after the procedure and then it hit me aches and pains trouble sleeping which is down to worry I’ve recently had another ECG and blood tests and they were fine but I still get sharp pain when resting the doctor said if it carry’s on t go back to GP and ask them to refer me back to the Cardiologist for further investigation but was reassuring that he thinks it’s musculoskeletal pain so your not alone if you have any doubts take yourself to A&E you will be assessed very quickly for peace of mind hope you get sorted
Thanks I did the same and went to A&E my ECG was normal and so was my bloods they said the same about reporting it to my GP and to ask them if it carries on to be referred back to my Cardiologist so I will do that soon thanks
First of all the surgeons are correct, stents do NOT need "running in". The feelings you have will either be caused by the medication, your own stress, or more unlikely, continued Angina symptoms. Secondly, why are you trying to do too much?? You need to give your body a chance to heal after this trauma that it has been under! I would think it is obvious but so many people seem not to understand it. During Rehab, a nurse took me to one side and said to me "right, things have to change now, and you need to look after No 1. If you feel tired, rest, take it easy, cancel meetings or appointments and run your life to suit yourself, ******r everyone else. Now, I realise that this can be easier said than done, but you need to implement it as much as possible, until you are feeling better, which you will. And thirdly, DO NOT stop the Aorvastatin. Take it from me, you will NOT reduce your levels by diet alone - I tried it, and my diet was impeccable, absolutely text book, and after a month of not taking it my level had gone back almost to what it was before. Also, the Statins have a stabilising effect on the plaques that are blocking your arteries. I too went through a bit of a phase when I thought they were causing various ached and pains and other problems, but in fact most of these were between my ears. At the end of the day you need to change a lot of things following this event, and it sounds to me like you might not be? Just give it time, you will get there.
It's sadly very normal to not be given any information afterwards. They seem to think "We've fixed your plumbing now go away". It would help a lot to have an explanation of what to expect as the stents bed in. IT does take a c ouple of months and some people get twinges and aches. I was lucky. I had nothing apart from side effects of tablets. I would phone the consultant's secretary and ask if you can speak to him because otherwise you won't have any further contact from him.
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